Student Projects

Teenage Mutant Hero Project

Project Details

What is the science behind the superheroes and villains in comic books and cartoons? Is it actually possible to allow normal people and animals to have super powers? What is normal, anyway? In math/science, students will learn about cells, DNA, heredity and genetic mutations to create a research-based scientific background of a fictional character. Using their knowledge students will then create their own superhero or super-villain and write a story in Humanities class. This is an individual project but there will be many opportunities to collaborate in groups.

What is “normal”?
What makes a hero or a villain?
What drives a character?
What is human/normal?
What are we made of?
How is DNA a “blueprint” of life?
What determines our traits?
Are mutations beneficial or harmful?

Final Products

Humanities

Character Development Thinking Map

Creative Writing – origin story of your character (include literary devices and the process of revision)

Math/Science

Mutation Thinking Map (1)

Character Top Secret File (2)

Visual Piece – Students will be required to complete at least ONE of the creative, visual products below. Your visual piece MUST include some learning from the required final products from each class.

Life-size cut out of your character(s) Example, with or without photo-op Example

Character’s Top Secret File — turn it into beautiful digital work

Coding story in Scratch about your character

Student Choice — if you have other ideas on creating a visual representation of the things we’ve learned in this project, present your idea to your teachers

Exhibition location – San Diego Comic Art Gallery: our work will be exhibited in the gallery space and we will host an event in which we explain our work, our process and perform a portion of our origin stories.